This week, I’m joined by the brilliant and tender soul behind Pidgin Doll — artist and dollmaker Joshua David McKenney. Joshua opens up about growing up queer in a conservative environment and how creating art became his lifeline — a way to express beauty, identity, and emotion when words weren’t always enough. Through his breathtaking art dolls, he’s built a world where every detail tells a story, and every creation holds a piece of his heart.
We talk about the healing power of creativity, the intersection of queerness and fantasy, and the whimsical world of his mermaid sisters Olive and Anette — characters born from his imagination who might get a life of their own. Joshua also shares what it was like working with Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice, and how Melanie Martinez became a fan of his work. This episode is a soft, magical exploration of self-expression, resilience, and what it means to build the world you always wished existed — and then invite others to believe in it, too.
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✦ Video version available on Spotify ✦
Brought to you by Passes
Writers: Ryan Lu & Cameron Pormir
Producer: Brett Shaner
PA: Jodie Filamena